As New York's weather eased past the worst of the summer heat and a hint of early autumn chill crept into the air, Lin Hai was helping his mentor, Chen Bing, sort a batch of medicinal herbs one ordinary afternoon.
Just then, someone gently pushed open the clinic door, setting the bell behind it ringing with a soft chime.
A middle-aged white man in a gray suit and dark blue tie stepped inside with a smile. His hairline had receded noticeably.
The visitor was Phil Coulson.
Lin Hai looked up at Coulson without a trace of surprise. If anything, he thought Coulson—or S.H.I.E.L.D. behind him—had shown remarkable patience by waiting this long to come knocking.
Given how closely S.H.I.E.L.D. monitored New York, Lin Hai had expected an agent to show up after he and the Green Goblin caused such a commotion at Osborn Tower, then fought a conspicuous battle on the roof.
Instead, Coulson had only appeared now.
Lin Hai had little fondness for S.H.I.E.L.D., or "Serpent S.H.I.E.L.D.," as countless people online had jokingly called it in his previous life. Still, there was no sense in turning away someone who came with a smile.
And compared with Nick Fury, whose principles were flexible in just about every respect, Coulson was far more dependable and likable. He always wore a smile, generally played by the rules, and sometimes even seemed a little too nice for his own good.
So when Coulson reached the counter, held out a hand, and introduced himself in his gentle tone, Lin Hai politely shook it.
"Agent Coulson, from the Strategic Homeland... uh... S.H.I.E.L.D." Coulson seemed to think better of using the unwieldy full name and switched to the abbreviation.
"Lin Hai, from Huaxia," Lin Hai replied simply. He gestured toward the back. "The courtyard is quieter.